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发帖数: 4174 | 1 When Montrose Republican Don Coram cast a deciding vote Monday night to kill
Colorado's civil unions bill, he "let down" a gay community that includes
his only child, his son told The Denver Post.
"Yesterday was the first and only time I ever called him and said, "Can you
do this?" said 44-year-old Dee Coram, who is gay. "He said, 'I love you, but
absolutely not.' "
Civil unions for same-sex couples seemed destined for success toward the end
of the Colorado legislative session, which closed last week. It had cleared
three Republican-controlled House committees and appeared to have a
majority of votes on the House floor.
But House Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, refused to let lawmakers
cast their votes. Gov. John Hickenlooper countered by calling a special
session.
The reincarnated civil unions bill on Monday landed in McNulty's so-called "
kill committee," where he expected the bill to die.
Don Coram, who chairs that committee, said he had to put his personal
interests aside and vote in a way that represented the conservative values
of his rural district.
He believes the bill essentially proposed gay marriage — which voters
rejected in 2006 — in all but name.
"I saw it as a violation of the Constitution, which I swore to uphold,"
Coram said. "For me to go against what is a significant majority because of
my own family situation, I don't think that's what a good representative
does."
One by one the votes came down. In the end, Don Coram — noting how proud he
was of his gay son — lined up with his fellow Republican party members.
The hard-fought legislation died 5-4.
Dee Coram expressed disappointment and said the two haven't spoken since
Monday.
"I was told by my grandfather, there's always a time to lead and there's
always a time to follow," Dee Coram said. "He was given a time to lead, and
he didn't do it. He could have and should have been the deciding vote."
Read more: Gay son "let down" by father's vote against Colorado civil unions
bill - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20629843/gay-son-let-down-by-fathers-vote-against#ixzz1v3SkLC4V
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